Once we found the location of the event, I scouted out the goodies for purchase. A mylar Elmo balloon that retails for a whopping $1 at our local dollar store was selling for $5. You could combine the balloon with a small (read four inches tall) plush Sesame Street character for $10.99, or purchase the character only for $8. A photo with Elmo was the least expensive option at $7, and you could get all three for $20. I know this litany of prices is rather boring, but I mention them to make a point. These were designed to make the parents feel like they NEEDED to get their kids these things, like mouse ears at Disney World, a kid without an Elmo balloon was clearly going to be deprived. At first I thought, twenty bucks, okay no big deal, but when I equated that amount to the article I would have to write to pay for it I quickly changed my mind.
The free portion of the event was very brief, maybe 15 minutes or so. Elmo came out, danced around and "whispered" into the ear of the emcee (since obviously this was not the "real" Elmo and the kids would notice the voice straight off) for a few silly minutes. My son seemed to enjoy himself, he sang and danced around, and I felt confident in not purchasing all the ancillary items as he didn't seem to care about the balloons or the stuffed animals.
In the end, I did opt to pay the $7 so we could get a picture with Elmo. I figured it was cute and while overpriced, I knew I'd be disappointed later if I hadn't gotten one. This experience, much like visiting Santa Claus, was supposed to be for my son. But as I said, I would have been disappointed if he hadn't seen Elmo. After all, the kid is two, I don't think he would have been scared for life if I hadn't made him wait in line to get a picture taken with an oversized red furry monster.
The whole experience really made me think about the things I do with my son and whether they are for him or for me. He's seen Santa twice, screamed his way through a visit with the Easter Bunny and posed with the Chick-Fil-a cow. I can't help but wonder what he gets out of these interactions (except the cow - I know he loves that one). Am I pushing these things too early because I want to be able to paste the pictures into his scrapbook, or am I giving him a fun experience that may actually have some impact on his emotional development.
I know as a parent my job is to expose my child to new things and encourage him to explore and enjoy the world around him. I'm just not sure if I'm getting it right. Am I helping him grow or am I teaching him that for life to be fun we must constantly be on the go, moving from one event to the next? I don't think there is necessarily a right or wrong answer, but I do know that he danced and sang and he and I both grinned a lot this morning as a random grown-up danced around in a red furry suit. I have to think that the giggles and grins alone count for something...
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